Playoff Moments: #5 OC Down

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Playoff Moments: #5 OC DownEvery Monday, Wednesday, and Friday LAKings.com will countdown the Top 15 moments from the LA Kings improbable playoff run to their 2nd Stanley Cup Championship.

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday LAKings.com will countdown the Top 15 moments from the LA Kings improbable run to their 2nd Stanley Cup Championship.

They didn’t leave any doubts, that’s for sure.

The first-ever playoff series between the NHL’s two Southern California clubs went the distance, but the Kings made short work in deciding it.

On the evening of May 16, the Kings faced a big task. At Honda Center in Orange County for Game 7 of the NHL’s Western Conference Semifinals, the Kings needed to beat the Anaheim Ducks to keep their Stanley Cup hopes alive.

They delivered their message early, as Justin Williams, Jeff Carter, and Mike Richards combined to bury three goals for the Kings in the first 15 minutes of play to take a commanding 3-0 lead.

John Gibson, Anaheim’s goaltender – a Rookie, was the bait.

The Kings’ early offensive push was further fueled by Jonathan Quick’s composure, as the Kings goaltender casually set aside the Ducks’ best early scoring chance - Corey Perry’s penalty shot attempt late in the first period.

QUICK RELIEF

In the second period, the Kings extended their lead to 5-0, with goals from Anze Kopitar and Marian Gaborik.

And in the process, the Ducks swapped goaltenders, as Jonas Hiller would come in to play his final minutes in an Anaheim uniform.

Anaheim potted a pair of goals with last-ditch efforts late in the second period and early in the third period, but Kings’ Rookie Tanner Pearson sealed the game’s deal when he slammed home the Kings’ sixth goal of the evening with 6:06 remaining in regulation time to give the Kings a 6-2 lead – the game’s eventual final score.

ROOKIE ROLL

The Kings’ 6-2 win marked the Ducks’ elimination from the playoffs, as well as Teemu Selanne’s final NHL game.